Neoen Australia Pty Ltd Windfarm, Solar Farm and Battery Storage Facility – ‘Crystal Brook Energy Park’
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SCAP Agenda Item 3.1.1 10 & 11 October 2018 Neoen Australia Pty Ltd Windfarm, Solar Farm and Battery Storage Facility – ‘Crystal Brook Energy Park’ Crystal Brook – Mid North 354/V003/18 TABLE OF CONTENTS SCAP REPORT ATTACHMENTS 1: LOCATION AND SITE PLANS 2: APPLICATION DOCUMENTS 3: AGENCY COMMENTS 4: COUNCIL COMMENTS 5: REPRESENTATIONS 6: APPLICANTS RESPONSE 7: DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROVISIONS 1 SCAP Agenda Item 3.1.1 10 & 11 October 2018 SCAP AGENDA ITEM: 3.1.1 Application Summary Application No 354/V003/18 (ID:3140) [KNet File: 2018/08788/01] KNET Reference #13187873 Applicant Neoen Australia Pty Ltd (Crown Sponsor: Department of the Premier and Cabinet) Proposal 125 MW Windfarm, 150MW Solar Farm, 130 MW Lithium-ion Battery and associated infrastructure Subject Land Various land parcels 3.5km NE of Crystal Brook (Mid North) Zone/Policy Area Primary Production Zone Relevant Authority Minister for Planning Role of the Section 49(7) & 7(c): the State Commission Assessment Commission: Panel must undertake an assessment of the proposal and report to the Minister for Planning. Lodgement Date 29 March 2018 (Date application submitted to DPTI) Council Port Pirie Regional Council Development Plan Port Pirie Regional Council Consolidated 31 October 2017 Categorisation Merit Public Notification Crown Representations 263, with 46 wishing to be heard (including 13 that are also representing others) Referral Agencies EPA, Commissioner for Highways (DPTI), DEW, NVC, AMLR NRM, NY NRM, DSD-AAR, Minister for the Mining Act, CFS, CASA, ElectraNet, SA Water, Epic Energy, Commonwealth Department of Defence. Officers Report Lee Webb – Senior Specialist (Environmental) Planner EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Neoen Australia Pty Ltd has lodged a Crown (S.49) development application (sponsored by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet) for the establishment of the Crystal Brook Energy Park, comprising a 125 MW Windfarm, 150MW Solar Farm, 130 MW (400 MWh) Energy Storage Facility and associated infrastructure. The site is located on various land parcels approximately 3.5km NE of Crystal Brook (approximately 23 km SE of Port Pirie) in the Mid North region of South Australia. Following public notification, 263 public representations were received. The majority of representations were in support of renewable energy and the solar and battery components. The main concerns raised were associated with the windfarm component of the proposal, primarily the visual impacts and potential health effects due to noise. In addition, proximity to the Crystal Brook township and surrounding residents (including those in the nearby Beetaloo Valley) was a key reason for objection. Concern was also expressed that siting of the wind turbines near the southern Flinders Ranges (and the Heysen Trail) would affect its tourism value. A number of representations also supported the proposal due to the advantages it could deliver for the region and the State, including economic benefits (especially employment and flow-on effects), sustainability aspects and the potential to help lower power prices. No formal objection was raised by the local Councils or relevant State Government agencies, although a number of assessment matters and technical details were sought or required further investigation by the applicant and/or the planning authority. 2 SCAP Agenda Item 3.1.1 10 & 11 October 2018 The key assessment outcomes in considering the appropriateness of the proposed development in the Primary Industry Zone of the Port Pirie Regional Council Development Plan are: • Establishes renewable energy generation and storage facilities in appropriate areas (primarily for the harnessing of wind and solar resources). • The proposed locations for each component have largely been cleared for mixed cropping and grazing use (especially the solar farm and battery facility sites) or have been modified by grazing (especially the windfarm site). • Existing primary production activities (primarily grazing) can continue during operation and after decommissioning. • Achieves suitable setback distances from residents (excluding landowners hosting turbines), the Crystal Brook township and major transport routes (especially the Augusta Highway). • It is acknowledged that the visual impact of the windfarm component on the rural landscape and amenity of the locality would be substantial. However, such impacts are envisaged by the local Development plan and local zoning controls. • Furthermore, the windfarm is sited an appropriate distance away from the southern extent of the Flinders ranges so as not to affect the regions tourism values. The impact on the affected part of the Heysen Trail would be minimal. • The proposed design minimises impacts to flora and fauna and does not affect any sites of conservation significance. • Safe access can be established to and from the project area, with construction traffic able to be satisfactorily managed. • Airfield operations are not unduly affected by the development. • The proposal would not result in increased bushfire risk (compared with other land uses) or affect firefighting capabilities. • Does not impact on sites of Aboriginal or European heritage significance. • Will have a negligible impact on existing or future adjoining land uses (in terms of the on-going use of that land for primary production or related activities). • Would not unduly affect telecommunications reception. • Can be constructed and operated so not to cause undue driver distraction. • Creates locally based employment (during construction and operation) and flow on economic benefits for Crystal Brook and the region. • Generates renewable energy and assists in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. From a strategic perspective, the proposal aligns with the electricity network priorities of South Australia, especially improving the reliability and security of the electricity grid and putting downward pressure on electricity prices through increased, locally based generation capacity. The proposal maximises the sites renewable resources by combining storage, solar and wind elements, with the combination of these technologies having the potential to produce a more consistent and reliable source of generation. In particular, the energy storage facility will further enhance reliability and allow for the provision of network stability services. ASSESSMENT REPORT 1. Strategic Context Climate change requires a coordinated response from government, industry, business, households and individuals to enable a beneficial transition to a low carbon economy. The electricity generation sector has a significant role to play in addressing the longer-term impacts of climate change, and South Australia’s electricity market has commenced its transition away from more traditional forms of generation to renewable energy (being around 50% of generation capacity in SA). 3 SCAP Agenda Item 3.1.1 10 & 11 October 2018 Renewable energy power generation developments have been encouraged in South Australia over the past 15 years through Government policy, due to the strategic need for local alternative energy sources that have low greenhouse gas emissions compared with traditional power generation. This direction was further facilitated in 2011/12 through the implementation of a Ministerial Statewide Wind Farms Development Plan Amendment (DPA) to incorporate policies that support renewable energy proposals, especially wind farm applications. These policies are now included in all Council Development Plans, and generally support such uses in Primary Production type zones. Since 2014, other types of renewable energy types have become more common – including large scale solar PV and pumped hydro proposals – encouraged through a mix of public policies, funding initiatives and direct action. A key policy focus has been the support for proposals that provide both generation and storage capacity and technologies for effective integration with the national electricity grid (and also to ensure reliability of supply). Consequently, the Mid North region has progressively been developed with wind farms due to the high grade wind resource and the close proximity of high voltage power transmission lines (i.e. that form inter-connections with the national electricity grid). More recently, the Upper Spencer Gulf region has become the focus for a range of renewable energy generation and storage proposals, including windfarms (i.e. at Lincoln Gap), solar farms (i.e. at Port Augusta and Whyalla), solar thermal tower (i.e. at Port Augusta), pumped hydro (i.e. at Goat Hill, Baroota) and hybrid ‘energy parks’ (i.e. near Port Augusta). In addition to the broader ‘clean’ energy advantages, a renewable power developments have the potential to deliver substantial economic benefits to regional communities (which often rely on two main industries - agriculture and mining), by helping to broaden its economic base and assist in reversing the ongoing trend of employment and population decline. Direct benefits would result from landowners having increased income from land rental for turbines/ solar farms and the use of local contractors and suppliers of goods and services. Flow on effects would arise from servicing the construction work force and, to a lesser extent, the operational workers. The proposal aligns with the strategic electricity network priorities of South Australia, especially improving the reliability and security of the electricity grid and putting downward pressure on electricity prices through increased, locally based generation capacity. The transition